Category: Howe News Bulletin

Coaches always tell their athletes to “push through” and to “never quit” and use terms like “commitment.”  But Coach Bill Jehling’s athletes have now witnessed a coach that practices what he preaches.

The coaching circle is like a fraternity—a cult-like association where through their secret laboratory back channels, they know which coach is going to which school before anyone.  But what happened at Monday night’s school board meeting gives hope to every coach going forward in the State of Texas who is on the bubble of being renewed as an athletic director and head football coach.  It also spoke volumes about whether a winning record on the football field is more important than winning at being a positive influence and role model for kids at a time they need that the most.

After a short executive session behind closed doors, Howe Superintendent Kevin Wilson emerged from Howe ISD’s secret laboratory back channels and recommended to the school board the renewal of the Bulldogs head coach who was originally hired in February 2018.

The renewal itself is not uncommon, as the typical 2-year position throughout the state renews on a year-to-year basis which is why contract extensions are rarely reported.  But this situation was unique.  So unique that one former Howe coach with over 20 years in the profession said he had never heard of a coach being renewed at the same school after not being renewed the year before.

A year ago, the district chose not to renew his contract leaving Jehling in limbo.  Most coaches when their contract is not renewed scurry to find a new job and a new 2-year contract with a new school.  But “Coach J”, as he is referred to by his players, decided to stick it out with Howe instead of jumping ship.

During the first football season, Howe started 3-0 in 2018 but lost seven in a row.  After the fourth game of the season, the teachers and administrators were all in combat over a disciplinary situation that they felt wasn’t congruent with what other students were undertaking in other extracurricular activities. 

In short, the band program and band parents were concerned about Jehling’s discipline standards due to their perception of band students suffering one punishment as football players suffered a different punishment for the same rules unfollowed.  The erosion of trust and morale at the high school campus led to Howe not renewing the contract of Jehling in February 2019.

But as the dust settled and those that were in conflict communicated personally, they realized there were misinformation and disinformation that led to a snowball effect of uncertainty within the staff.  By the time skies were clear, Jehling’s biggest critics became his biggest advocates.  To make the made-for-TV movie plot any juicier, one of the band’s finest members in Hunter Brussow came out for the football team for his senior year for the first time in years and of course – just as movies go – Brussow was a terror on the field and earned first-team all-district in an unbelievable plot that could very well have helped save Jehling’s career in Howe.

“Coach J was always the most motivated person whether it was in the weight room, film room, or on the field,” said Brussow. “Coach J always connected with the players and he was at every team dinner that someone hosted, and he was always the one who believed in us when nobody else did.”

Jehling, in a text after the board meeting, said, “I want to be a Howe Bulldog for the rest of my life!”

Jehling was hired with a combined 8-31 record with at Hamshire-Fannett and Cushing in South Texas.  Since being at Howe, the ‘Dogs have gone 6-14 while being one of the smallest 3A-Division I teams in the state.

Each year, Jehling has to go out and find players to come out for football that otherwise would not.  Other programs in Howe’s district are not having to recruit from the band and basketball programs.  But he now has the remarkable Brussow story to tell to each recruit within the school.

In Texas, high school football coaches are often graded by their record on the field.  But in Howe, the grades on the field are weighted less than the grades off the field.  During the football season and during the Pride of Howe’s Marching Band competition on their journey to state, Jehling led his football team to sit in the stands in their jerseys to support the band just as the band supports them on Friday nights.

Jehling has also led his players to funerals of those that are significant to their athletic family.

“He addressed all of the concerns I asked of him to,” said Superintendent Kevin Wilson.  “He showed his commitment to our kids and our program.  He did everything I asked him to do so I want to honor my commitment.  He wants to be here and he’s committed to our kids so I appreciate that.”

“Unprecedented times” was the phrase most often used at the Howe ISD School Board meeting Monday night.  Howe Superintendent Kevin Wilson said after 30 years, you think you’ve seen it all, but he said couldn’t say that anymore.  He couldn’t possibly guess how many phone calls he’s had since last week between contacts with the area superintendents, Region 10 service center, and daily calls with the TEA Commissioner of Education Mike Morath.

“The commissioner started a daily conference call with state-wide superintendents on Friday which included Saturday and Sunday,” said Wilson.  “It’s not daily, it’s hourly that we get new information.  We just try to digest it all and do what’s best for our kids and our community.”

In Monday’s board meeting, Wilson began by informing the board that enrollment was up at the end of February with 1,271 students but then began to give information on COVID-19. 

“I know that Princeton ISD decided today that they will remain closed through May 8 which is eight weeks,” said Wilson which delivered some signs of shock from some board members.  He then told the board that the TEA Commissioner informed the group that they needed to prepare for long-term closures and that areas with a high rate of infection need to prepare for an eight-week closure at a minimum.

Wilson said the Dallas and Houston area schools took that the heart and went ahead and made that decision.

“I have not been planning to operate that way,” said Wilson.  “To me, it’s week-to-week; maybe two weeks and reevaluate.  That’s my intention, but I can tell you that this is a very fluid situation and it changes not daily, but hourly.”

Wilson went over President Trump’s “15 Days to Slow the Spread” that was released on Monday. 

“These are unprecedented times, and I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard that,” said Wilson.  “We’re going to make mistakes along the way.  We’ve all admitted to that.  We’re trying, speaking personally, to make decisions based on the information we have at that time.  I’m trying to be very diligent to collect all that and sometimes you have to do what you think is best and go with it.”

As of 10:30 am Monday, there were 700 school districts in Texas that were closed.  It had been 500 over the weekend.  Wilson said Commissioner Morath has supported each superintendent and stated that he would not second guess their decisions because each school and each community is different. 

If and when Howe ISD re-opens the TEA Commissioner has created an option for parents to keep their kids at home.  If they miss school, they will be technically absent but counted as present. For the ISD, it would not create any funding issues from the state based on attendance. 

“He’s (Morath) been very responsive to our fears and needs about funding and testing and everything involved,” said Wilson.  “We won’t be penalized based on low attendance if their parents don’t want to send their kids to school.  We also will not be penalized if we exceed our bad weather days or bank hours that we have to use until we have to file for waivers.  He said, ‘do what you have to do to plan and we’ll be very forgiving, but come up with a plan to provide instruction at home so that we’re still trying to move kids along.’”

The ISD sent out a survey on Monday afternoon which was intended to provide the best means of instruction for students while in-person classroom attendance is not taking place.  The survey was a question of which would your student prefer online coursework on paper/pencil coursework.

“It’s going to be specific per campus,” said Wilson.  “Obviously, we’re not going to give the elementary kids a lot of online work.  But your high school students – they’re used to it, they’re already doing it and it makes sense for them to continue doing that.  If a kid didn’t have access to the internet, we’re looking at alternatives.  The commissioner said there’s no prohibition on opening your school for a small number of students.”

Foodservice was another big topic at the board meeting where Wilson said they did receive permission from USDA to take-out lunches.  

“Hopefully starting next Monday, we’ll start either providing food or delivering food to different drop-offs throughout the district,” said Wilson.  “I don’t think there’s a large number, but there’s a fair number of students that depend on our meals and we’re going to do everything we can to provide them.”

Assistant Superintendent Darla Williams said the inventory was adequate for providing breakfast and a sack lunch for next week. 

Wilson also informed the board that the UIL has canceled all events through March 29 which also includes practices.  UIL cancellations included athletics, music, theater, and all extra-curricular events.  The district will also be canceling all parent meetings or other meetings that take place at the school.

Texas Governor Greg Abbot declared Monday that there would be no S.T.A.A.R. testing for the 2019-2020 school year.  Some Howe High School seniors had not yet passed their required exams for them to graduate, but TEA reiterated that graduation committees were in place and they were going to be relaxing some of the rules which could allow the district to determine whether the student meets the necessary levels to graduate. 

One of the items TEA and districts will have to work through is the situation with the freshman that normally completes English I, Biology, and Algebra I as a graduation requirement.  What will that look like in three years?  Wilson says that they can work through that, but the immediate item is having flexibility for the seniors that need to re-take the S.T.A.A.R. test for graduation purposes.

Wilson also said that Grayson College announced that they will host online classes for students enrolled in dual-credit courses. 

During the school closures, teachers under contract will continue to be paid as well as hourly staff.  One question arose regarding substitute teacher pay.

“If you (a substitute teacher) were scheduled to work a day this week and a day next week, in my opinion, those aren’t paid,” said Wilson.  “But if we have a long-term sub that is subbing for a teacher on maternity leave that has been working and supposed to work three more weeks, I’m inclined to continue to pay them.  If we have a commitment to them, I think we need to honor them.” 

The board agreed and Board Member Mark Abner commented that the district would need them to be ready to go when schools begin again.

In items beyond COVID-19, Wilson informed the board that the plans for the high school campus renovations have been submitted for bid. 

“Unless something crazy happens, we still plan on having a proposal for you to consider at our April meeting.  It’ll be a bottom-line number and we can decide to move forward or delay, or just say no,” said Wilson who indicated the fees from the architect came in much lower than he anticipated.

In personnel, the board approved the extension of the contracts for Assistant Superintendent Darla Williams, the Principals Clarissia Doty, Clay Wilson, and Phil Kempson, and Directors Julie Snapp, Angie Liss, Bill Jehling, Melissa Atchisson, and Brett Williams.  All extensions are the typical one-year annual extension with the exception of Jehling who received a new 2-year contract.

AUSTIN – Texas Health and Human Services is providing updated guidance to the almost 17,000 regulated child care operations throughout the state – including new screening requirements for staff and visitors – as the agency continues to closely monitor the evolving novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.

“Protecting the health and safety of children in the settings we regulate is paramount,” said David Kostroun, HHS Deputy Executive Commissioner of Regulatory Services. “We are taking these proactive measures to limit the spread of COVID-19 and safeguard children and their families.”

Effective immediately, all current child care providers will implement the following guidance, consistent with new requirements in accordance with state law, federal guidance, and Gov. Greg Abbott’s recent disaster declaration:

• Prohibit any person except the following from accessing an operation: operation staff; persons with legal authority to enter, including law enforcement officers, HHSC Child Care Licensing staff, and Department of Family and Protective Services staff; professionals providing services to children; children enrolled at the operation; and parents or legal guardians who have children enrolled and present at the operation.    
• Require pickup and drop-off of children outside of the operation, unless it’s determined that there is a legitimate need for the parent to enter an operation.  
• Before allowing entry into the operation, screen all individuals listed above, including taking the temperature of each person upon arrival at the operation each day, and deny entry to any person who meets any of the following criteria:

1. A temperature of 100.4°F or above;
2. Signs or symptoms of a respiratory infection, such as a cough, shortness of breath, sore throat, and low-grade fever;
3. In the previous 14 days has had contact with someone with a confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19; is under investigation for COVID-19; or is ill with a respiratory illness; or
4. In the previous 14 days has traveled internationally to countries with widespread, sustained community transmission. For updated information on affected countries visit: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/travelers/index.html.

• Ensure that each child is provided individual meals and snacks. Do not serve family-style meals.

Because this situation is rapidly evolving, child care providers are highly encouraged to contact the Child Care Licensing (CCL) team at MSC@hhsc.state.tx.us. CCL is prepared to answer questions, provide technical assistance, and grant regulatory flexibility to operations when needed to protect children in care.

Stay up-to-date on the latest guidance to providers by visiting the HHS COVID-19 page.  

Howe ISD has announced this afternoon that there will not be school the week of March 16-20 in an attempt to minimize exposure to the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) outbreak.

The ISD released the following statement: